By RFIPosted on 14-11-2019Modified on 14-11-2019 at 14:28

Several ministers from Benin and Niger have come to talk, on Thursday, November 14, with their Nigerian counterparts of the partial closure of borders. A measure imposed since late August by Abuja, officially to fight against smuggling and trafficking. As Nigeria says it wants to extend until the end of January.

After two and a half months of partial closure, this meeting is the first of its kind on this issue. Indeed, until then, meetings had been held between heads of state. Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly received the president of Benin. He also had discussions with the Niger President. But this time, the three countries are going to serious things, to concrete things.

Important delegations

Important delegations of ministers are present in Abuja at the headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). We find the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Information and Interior for Nigeria, those of the Interior, Trade and the promotion of the private sector for Niger and four ministers for Benin , Foreign Affairs , Economy and Finance, Interior and Trade and Industry. The ministers of Benin and Niger are accompanied respectively by a dozen advisors, diplomats and senior officials.

Establish methodological bases

The three countries therefore decided to ask themselves to establish methodological bases and to speak frankly to each other. They want to address the points of tension caused by the partial closure of Nigeria's borders. The agenda of this Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripartite committee comes down to the adoption of an agenda and the establishment of future discussion points. A member of the Nigerian delegation indicated that this committee should " stand as long as this situation of partial border closure in Nigeria will last ". This first tripartite committee is expected to conclude in the afternoon.

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